Drinks firm Heineken UK, food producer Filippo Berio and utility company Anglian Water Services are among six businesses that have agreed to six-figure charity payments after breaching environmental laws.
Controversial plans for an onshore wind farm on the Isle of Lewis have been turned down by the Scottish Executive because of the impact it could have on local birdlife. The Golden Eagle is one endangered species that calls Lewis home (Copyright Mike Lane/RSPB) Lewis Windpower's application to erect 181 turbines on the island, off the north west coast of Scotland, had provoked more than 10,000 objections
Droughts in Cyprus have forced government officials to ship in water from Greece to help ease the crisis. Minister signed a deal on Monday with shipping firm Ocean Tankers Holdings to transport drinking water to the island. Eight million cubic metres of water is set to be shipped to Cyprus by the end of June following a sustained period of drought on the island, which is a popular tourist destination. Last month, the government decided to impose water cuts for the first time in seven years.
Buildings with certified energy ratings are not just more energy efficient than their counterparts, but are also earning more on rental and retail markets. Those are the findings of two US studies which looked at new buildings certified under the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED scheme and the Environment Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR programme. Researchers found that LEED buildings had average energy savings of up to almost 50%, and ENERGY STAR of almost 40%. But this also made the buildings more attractive to buyers and renters.
Climate change could have "severe implications" for the Irish economy if its effects on water supply are not addressed, an expert has warned. Water supplies could be stretched by climate change Dr Conor Murphy, climate change expert and hydrologist, outlined his fears to the annual Engineers Ireland Conference in Limerick.
The study, which is believed to be the first long-term, population-wide study into the links between deaths from diseases and atmospheric pollutants, examined figures from all 352 English local authorities. Researchers found a strong correlation between engine exhaust emissions and pneumonia deaths. The study estimated that every year, pollution-related pneumonia kills nearly as many people as the 1952 London smog. Lewisham had the highest number of pollution-related pneumonia deaths, while Berwick-upon-Tweed had the lowest.
Its electricity and water heating is wholly powered by photovoltaics, it uses recycled and energy efficient construction materials, and it is extensively equipped with water conservation equipment. Campaigners hope all new homes in California will be powered solely by renewable energy like the SOLARA development (Copyright Community HousingWorks) The SOLARA development in California, which officially opened last year, is what green campaigners hope will become the model for all new homes in the state.
Commercial buildings and new homes have become the latest buildings to fall under the Government's energy performance certificate scheme. The next stage in the roll out of the scheme - which aims to improve energy efficiency in UK buildings - came into effect on April 6. All commercial properties being built or put up for rent or sale which have a floor area over 10,000 square metres will now require a certificate rating their energy efficiency and recommending improvements. The Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) now also apply to the construction of all new homes.
The head of a wind energy lobby group has said that the industry in Ireland needs to invest
European states have agreed on legally binding limits on the airborne concentration of ultra-fine dust. The new directive on ambient air quality sets standards for reducing the concentration of fine particles known as PM2.5. Ultrafine particulate matter poses the biggest threat to human health as it can work its way deeper into the lungs than larger dust particles. The directive adopted this week mirrors closely the European Commission proposal of September 2005.
A new hybrid mail service aims to increase the efficiency of direct marketing and reduce the carbon footprint of companies. The PDQit system enables companies to send documents to be printed, enveloped and then posted direct from a computer across the UK and Ireland, which can save users as much as 60% on annual postage expenditure, according to Precision Marketing. Andy Percival, PDQit managing director, said: "For simple marketing pieces, hybrid mail is a quick, responsive solution. "It lets agencies and mailing houses get campaigns to market much more quickly.
